plate no. 5093
Self-Portrait at Professor Jacobson's Hospital
Edvard Munch, 1909
recreation guide
Edvard Munch’s *Self-Portrait at Professor Jacobson's Hospital* (1909) represents a pivotal moment in his career, created shortly after a severe mental breakdown in 1908 that forced him to cease heavy drinking and seek treatment. This work belongs to his later period, characterized by a shift toward greater peace and privacy, yet it retains the psychological intensity of his earlier 'soul paintings' (Source 7). The artwork is executed in oil on canvas, a medium Munch utilized to express emotional states rather than to produce a deceptive illusion of nature (Source 1). Consistent with his mature style, the painting likely employs a shallow pictorial space and a minimal backdrop to focus attention on the frontal figure and their psychological condition (Source 8). Munch’s approach to color was heavily influenced by his time in Paris, where he studied the works of Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec, adopting their use of color to convey emotion and symbol-laden elements (Source 5, Source 8).
estimated time
20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions
materials
4 items
steps
4 in sequence
materials
| item | purpose | modern equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Oil paints | Primary medium for expression; Munch valued the 'vitality' of the medium to express feeling rather than mere visual deception. | — |
| Canvas | Support for the oil paint. | — |
| Brushes | Application of paint; Munch’s later works show a simplification of form, suggesting broad, expressive strokes rather than fine detail. | — |
| Solvent (Turpentine/Spirit) | For thinning paint. Munch experimented with highly diluted paint to create drip effects, though this specific 1909 work may rely more on standard oil application. | — |
preparation
surface prep
Standard oil painting preparation. Munch did not have a unique, documented surface preparation method distinct from general oil painting practices of the early 20th century. The focus should be on ensuring the canvas is primed to accept oil without absorbing too much binder, allowing for the 'vital expression' of the medium (Source 1).
underdrawing
Munch received minimal formal artistic training and was influenced by the Kristiania Bohème’s rejection of bourgeois conventions (Source 7). While he studied drawing in Paris, he found it 'numbing' (Source 5). It is likely that any underdrawing was loose and expressive, serving as a guide for the emotional composition rather than a rigid structural framework. Specific details of his underdrawing for this piece are not recorded in the sources.
underpainting
No specific underpainting technique is documented for this work in the provided sources. Munch’s general practice involved direct painting to capture emotional immediacy. The sources emphasize the importance of the medium's vitality and the artist's feeling over technical layering for illusionistic depth (Source 1).
color palette
Complementary pairs (e.g., Red/Green, Blue/Orange)
Traditional RYB primaries and secondaries
Munch was influenced by artists who used color to convey emotion. Complementary colors create strong contrast and visual tension, which aligns with the psychological intensity of his work (Source 4, Source 5).
Symbolic hues
Varied, depending on the emotional state depicted
Munch’s style is described as 'synthetist' where color is a 'symbol-laden element' (Source 8). Colors are chosen for their emotional resonance rather than strict naturalism.
composition
Munch characteristically favored a shallow pictorial space and a minimal backdrop for his frontal figures, chosen to produce convincing images of states of mind and psychological conditions (Source 8). The composition likely avoids deep perspective to keep the viewer focused on the subject's internal experience. The pose is selected to convey a specific psychological state, consistent with his 'soul painting' philosophy (Source 7).
step by step
underdrawing→first pass→refining→finishing
underdrawing
step 01
Sketch the frontal figure with loose, expressive lines. Avoid rigid outlining; Munch found strict drawing 'numbing' (Source 5). Focus on the pose that conveys the psychological state.
Tip — Keep the drawing minimal to allow the paint to carry the emotional weight.
Expressive sketching
first pass
step 02
Apply broad masses of color. Use complementary colors to enhance intensity and create visual tension, as Munch was influenced by the use of color to convey emotion (Source 5).
Tip — Place complementary colors next to each other to make each appear more intense (Source 2).
Complementary color juxtaposition
refining
step 03
Simplify forms and details. Munch’s mature style shows a simplification of form, avoiding excessive detail that might distract from the emotional core (Source 8).
Tip — Do not over-model; Munch’s work is not about 'deceiving the eye' with naturalistic illusion (Source 1).
Simplification of form
finishing
step 04
Ensure the painting remains a 'painted symbol' rather than a realistic replica. The viewer should not forget they are looking at a painting (Source 1).
Tip — Check that the color harmony supports the mood, using harmonious combinations to achieve the desired aesthetic (Source 3).
Symbolic representation
critical techniques
Use of Color for Emotion
Munch learned from Gauguin, Van Gogh, and Toulouse-Lautrec to use color to convey emotion and as a symbol-laden element, rather than for realistic depiction (Source 5, Source 8).
Complementary Color Contrast
Placing complementary colors next to each other to increase their brilliancy and create visual tension, which supports the psychological intensity of the subject (Source 2).
Shallow Pictorial Space
Using a minimal backdrop and shallow space to focus on the frontal figure’s psychological state, a characteristic of Munch’s mature style (Source 8).
common pitfalls
- →Attempting to create a realistic illusion of nature, which Munch and the sources argue is 'meretricious' and misses the point of art as an expression of feeling (Source 1).
- →Over-detailing the figure or background, which contradicts Munch’s simplification of form in his mature style (Source 8).
- →Ignoring the emotional impact of color combinations, failing to use complementary colors to enhance the psychological tension (Source 2, Source 4).
what the sources don't tell us
Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.
- ·Specific pigments used by Munch in 1909 are not detailed in the sources.
- ·Exact brushstroke techniques or layering methods for this specific self-portrait are not described.
- ·The specific facial expression or gesture in this 1909 self-portrait is not described in the provided text, so instructions must remain general to his style.
- ·Whether Munch used drip effects in this specific 1909 work is unclear; the sources mention drips in later works like 'By the Deathbed' (1915) (Source 8).
grounded in
The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Understanding the role of oil paint as a medium for emotional expression rather than illusion.
The Science of Painting↗
- 4. When two colours separated by more than two others — applied to Using complementary colors to enhance intensity and visual tension.
cross-referenced from
Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.
Wikipedia: Harmony (color)↗
- Harmony (color) — part 1 — applied to General principles of color harmony and mood creation.
Wikipedia: Complementary colors↗
- Complementary colors — part 1 — applied to Understanding complementary pairs and their contrast.
Wikipedia bio — Edvard Munch↗
- part 6 — applied to Influence of Paris artists on Munch’s use of color and emotion.
- part 1 — applied to Context of Munch’s 'soul painting' and psychological focus.
- part 7 — applied to Mature style characteristics: shallow space, simplified form, symbolic color.
Read more about the corpus on the sources page and how the guides are built on the methods page.
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